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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26769052">Chamomile and Cayenne</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalsConnected/pseuds/CrystalsConnected'>CrystalsConnected</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Flufftober 2020, no beta we die like Glenn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:35:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26769052</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalsConnected/pseuds/CrystalsConnected</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Dimitri is a regular at the on campus coffeeshop, where his TA happens to work part time as a barista. Byleth proves creative at pouring (purposefully) bad drinks. Dimitri is all too happy to drink them. Claude just wants Byleth to stop being oblivious (and maybe winning a little money wouldn't be so bad either). </p>
<p>Flufftober 2020 Day 1 - Coffeeshop AU with a side of modern/university AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Chamomile and Cayenne</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is the first thing I've written in a very long time that hasn't been work related, and (aside from one single chapter of poorly written fluff at age 12 which has since been removed from the internet), this is the first time I'm posting anything publicly! </p>
<p>I'm sure there may be some gaps between works, but I am planning on completing the Flufftober Prompt List (the post on my tumblr is <a>HERE</a>) using primarily FE3H ships. I expect to see more Dimileth, as well as Claudeleth and perhaps some Netteflix (You might be able to figure out that my first run was Blue Lions). </p>
<p>Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome, and I hope you enjoy this bit of fluff!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Why are you here?”</p>
<p>The words come out blunt – blunter than she intends, and surprisingly blunter than she is typically known to be. It occurs to her that she may have overshot blunt entirely, and landed someplace between rude and combative, if Dimitri’s confused expression is anything to go by.</p>
<p>Taking pity on him, she adjusts her statement before he can gather his stuttering apologies into a proper response.</p>
<p>“I mean now that the semester is over – now that finals are wrapping up -  I can’t imagine there’s a reason for you to be at the campus coffeeshop exactly 30 minutes before Agarthan History usually starts. It must be out of your way.”</p>
<p>There may be other explanations for it – the coffeeshop is connected to the library, sort of inside the building, but separated by a rotating glass door. She supposes that he could be here to study, but it seems unlikely – the history class she had TA’d for during the semester had wrapped up yesterday, on the second to last day of finals.</p>
<p>She doesn’t know the exam schedule for his other classes, but it was late enough that it seemed doubtful that he would be arriving at the library for a 20 minute cram session if he really did have an exam in the last possible slot.  </p>
<p>Her musings are interrupted by his delayed reply, a bit stilted perhaps, with a formality she thought had been forgotten 6 office hours ago.</p>
<p>“The drinks here are superb – I found myself desiring a cup and I knew that I could hardly expect to reproduce one of your masterpieces myself.”</p>
<p>A lie. Obviously.</p>
<p>“Hmm. Is that so?”</p>
<p>“Yes? Is that difficult to believe? I apologize if I have not adequately communicated how much I have enjoyed your drinks in the past. They truly improve my days.”</p>
<p>Less of a lie. A partial truth perhaps.</p>
<p>Byleth has long prided herself on being difficult to fool, and while there is a grain of truth in his statement – she thinks he may really believe that these drinks brighten his day – she knows it has nothing to do with the quality of her latte pouring.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~*~</p>
<p>Someplace after the 3<sup>rd</sup> pop quiz but before the first midterm, she’d used him as a guinea pig for a drink she was working on. She was convinced it had the potential to be great, and truthfully the final version had been very tasty. She’d never been a fan of the trendier Pumpkin Spice lattes, but enjoyed the cinnamon topping that was set aside for the season, and had endeavored to create a more appealing off the menu drink. She had eventually settled on a cinnamon caramel latte, with a dash of cayenne to add some depth of flavor.</p>
<p>Dimitri had dutifully tried to drink, smiling pleasantly after taking a sip.</p>
<p>“Well? What do you think?”</p>
<p>She noticed him glance quickly at the chalkboard sitting in the lobby, towards the entrance to the library.</p>
<p>“It’s… indescribable really. Very comforting, the smell of the spices pairs very nicely with the flavor of the fruit.”</p>
<p>Odd. There hadn’t been any fruit in her drink, not even a dash of pumpkin or apple or anything else resembling something one might find at a farmer’s market.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t too hot, was it?”</p>
<p>“Hot? No, not at all, it was the perfect temperature as always.”</p>
<p>“Hmm. Well, thank you for trying it – it’s on the house. I’ll see you in class.”</p>
<p>“You are too kind Professor – I will have to find a way to repay you!”<br/>
<br/>
“Just do well on the midterm – the fewer mistakes there are, the less time I spend making corrections. Last semester I ended up with a crick in my neck after staying up til 3 grading this exam. And stop calling me professor when I’m not one – Byleth is just fine.”</p>
<p>“I will keep that in mind and do my best… Byleth.”</p>
<p>With a small smile, he nodded his goodbye, and exited the café, walking in the general direction of the class she TA’d for, before being intercepted by his friends Felix and Sylvain, the latter of which elbowed him in the ribs rather violently before glancing through the window directly at her.</p>
<p>He smirked when he made eye contact with her, winking before refocusing his attention on his blonde friend. Felix, to his credit, did not partake in any rough-housing, and merely looked skyward as if asking for strength before ushering his friends towards class.</p>
<p>“What’s got you distracted Teach? Ooh, did you make a special drink for Blondie’s visit? Don’t mind if I do!”</p>
<p>She’d made two servings so she could try the drink herself, but before she could take so much as a sip Claude reached across the counter to grab the spare.</p>
<p>“Geez, you didn’t go light on the heat, did you? This almost tastes like something you’d get in an Almyran marketplace – maybe dial it back a bit if you want people around here to come back for seconds.”</p>
<p>“Let me see that.” She grabbed the cup back from him, removed the lid and took a swig before coughing.</p>
<p>“You weren’t kidding – that’s about 3 times stronger than what I was going for. I’m surprised Dimitri didn’t complain.”<br/>
<br/>
“Wait, you actually served this to the guy? And he didn’t say a thing?” Claude whistled in disbelief.  “I knew he had it bad, but I thought there were limits.”<br/>
<br/>
Byleth took another, much smaller sip, and hummed pensively.</p>
<p>“I don’t think that’s it. It was almost as if he was trying to guess at the taste. He mentioned something about fruit – I think he thought it was a variation of our seasonal drink based on the smell of the cinnamon. It’s almost as if he couldn’t taste it at all.”</p>
<p>Claude grinned.</p>
<p>“Interesting hypothesis Teach. Of course, what reason would he have to blow $5 a day on drinks he can’t taste…. Unless he was trying to charm his elusive Agarthan studies TA, perhaps? I stand by statement – he’s got it bad.”</p>
<p>A peculiar rush of warmth went to her cheeks before she went back to work, tidying up the area in preparation for her end of shift, and the mad dash that involved getting to the opposite side of campus in 3 minutes less than should have been possible.</p>
<p>“Nonsense. There must be some other reason. Sylvain had a good laugh as they headed out – perhaps it’s part of some prank he’s pulled Dimitri into.”</p>
<p>“As the master of pranks, I take offense. If the best they could come up with is not reacting to a questionably flavored drink, they have no hope during rivalry week. Not that I’m expecting the Business school to come remotely close to Engineering’s perfectly laid plans, but a challenge would be refreshing.”</p>
<p>Byleth rolled her eyes as she tossed her apron in the laundry bin in the back.</p>
<p>“I don’t have time to debate Claude, I’ll run late for class. I’ll see you next shift.”</p>
<p>She spared a small smile at her troublesome friend – at least he kept things interesting.</p>
<p>“Of course, Teach – just don’t forget to invite me to the wedding!” He shouted out as she left the building.</p>
<p>(Dimitri scored a 97 on the exam. She left a smiley face and the words Thank You, next to his score.)</p>
<p>~*~</p>
<p>She could never quite shake Claude’s teasing words and had soon resolved that she would conduct an experiment. The next several times Dimitri stopped by for coffee, she mixed him special creations, under the guise of needing a second opinion. They were on the house, so she didn’t feel quite as guilty about mixing pumpkin and peppermint, or handing him a strawberry chai mocha.</p>
<p>Not a single negative reaction. Without fail, he would take a sip and smile beatifically before thanking her for the creation (monstrosity) and make small talk for a few minutes before leaving on his way to class.</p>
<p>At some point she tired of mixing hazelnut and mint, and feeling positively guilty after substituting salt for sugar she resolved to end the experiment. From now on, only drinks that were actually palatable for Dimitri.</p>
<p>The next day had been a long one. She’d overslept, and couldn’t find her black sweater (why did barista’s have a dress code anyway?), resulting in her grabbing a black T-shirt too cold for the end of October and rushing out the door before she had time to dig out her jacket from the pile on the floor that was intended to be housed in a laundry basket.</p>
<p>When she arrived at the Café, it didn’t get any better – Annette had knocked over several stacks of cups as she left at the end of her shift, and though she had been full of apologies and started to clean up, Byleth knew she’d be late to an exam if she stayed back, and insisted she’d handle it. Byleth had spent the second half of her shift feeling like she was playing catch up, just a half step behind where she would normally be, and off her game in general. She’d just cleared through the last of a particularly brutal line when her favorite customer arrived.  </p>
<p>To his credit, Dimitri was perceptive, and she could tell he had intuited her less than stellar day. Perhaps he could see it in her eyes, or maybe it was the normally immaculate station by the door that was littered with coffee stirrers and a fine coat of demerara sugar.</p>
<p>“Hello Dimitri, what can I get you today? I apologize, I don’t have any special creations to test out today – I think I hit a bit of a rut.”</p>
<p>If she wasn’t convinced it was her imagination, she would have said that a faint blush appeared on his cheeks when she mentioned the custom drinks she had been plying him with. Instead he responded very understandingly, and his soothing voice was enough to make her shoulders relax just slightly.</p>
<p>“Hello Prof-Byleth. It is no trouble at all, I think I am in the mood for something simple today anyway. Perhaps – tea? Would that be much trouble?” He asked hesitatingly, as if ready to swap his order to apple cider vinegar if she said it would be easier to prepare.</p>
<p>“Of course, I can have that ready for you quickly. Any flavor in particular? Or shall I choose?” She didn’t mean to be presumptuous, but it had been a while since he’d truly selected his own drink, and now that her borderline cruel experiment was over she had an inkling she knew what flavors (aromas, really) he’d enjoy best.</p>
<p>“You are the expert of course – I will happily defer to your judgement.” He remarked with a smile.</p>
<p>“I think I know just the thing! I’ll have it ready in a moment.” Pouring hot water into a cup, opening a packet of chamomile tea and placing the bag inside before covering it with the lid, she had never been so relieved to see Claude arrive 10 minutes early to shift.</p>
<p>She handed the drink to Dimitri with an exhausted smile, before turning to begin tidying the area.</p>
<p>“Woah, looks like it was a war zone here today Teach. Let me guess, Alpha Beta Chi took advantage of 2 for 1 Lattes again? We really need to talk Manuela out of running that promotion.” </p>
<p>“Got it in one. It wouldn’t have been so bad, but I’ve been off my game today. I think I’ve had 3 remakes in the last hour, who on earth wants an iced drink in this weather?”</p>
<p>Her coworker chuckled, and then glanced surreptitiously at Dimitri, who remained close to the hand off counter, waiting for his tea to cool and – in Claude’s opinion – to see if he might have another minute or two of conversation with Teach.  </p>
<p>“Sounds like you need a break.” He remarked, hiding a smirk. “I’ve got this, why don’t you walk to class instead of run for a change – I’ve got this from here.”</p>
<p>Normally Byleth frowned on charity, but with the day weighing on her shoulders, she was inclined to accept. The only problem –</p>
<p>“I appreciate the offer, but I’ll probably end up jogging anyway. I don’t have a jacket with me, and this was the only black shirt I’ve got that doesn’t need to be washed.”</p>
<p>She’d never thought someone could look so aghast at the notion of being underdressed for the weather, but Dimitri looked positively stricken by the idea that she’d be jogging across campus to keep warm.</p>
<p>“P-Byleth, please, allow me to offer you my jacket – I am rather used to this weather, and have a warmer shirt on than you in any case.” Seeing her about to refuse, Claude went in for the kill.</p>
<p>“You can’t deny his logic Byleth – I’ve got things covered here, you’ve got a class to TA that requires you NOT be a popsicle, and Dimitri here is being a perfect gentleman. Let someone take care of you for once Teach.”</p>
<p>Her mouth snapped shut, glaring at her fellow Barista while considering her options. Ultimately, the promise of a leisurely walk with Dimitri while wrapped up in his cozy looking jacket won out over the thought of running across campus and sitting on her hands until they were warm enough to write down notes for any absent students.</p>
<p>“Fine” she sighed, “you’ve twisted my arm. I appreciate your help Claude. And yours Dimitri, though I feel terrible about asking you to forgo your jacket for me.”</p>
<p>This time, Byleth was sure she saw a blush on his face. Her imagination would never have imagined he could turn so red.</p>
<p>“It’s no trouble at all, I assure you.” He remarked, removing his jacket and holding it open for her to slide into.</p>
<p>It was enormous on her, but Sothis above it was even softer and warmer than it looked. She was not looking forward to relinquishing it when they arrived across campus.</p>
<p>He held the door open for her as they left, and Claude saw Dimitri glare rather impressively in the direction Byleth wasn’t walking towards. He was confused for a moment, until Sylvain and Felix came into view, the former clearly trying to hold in a rather vigorous ribbing. A shove from Felix seemed to drive home the point, and they made a detour into the Café instead of joining Dimitri on their regular walk to class.</p>
<p>Byleth, usually so observant, was more focused on the warm black and white lining of her borrowed jacket than her surroundings, and failed to notice the interaction as Dimitri caught up with her, and engaged her in conversation as they began the trek across campus.</p>
<p>As Felix ordered his coffee, Sylvain let out a loud whoop, and Claude devised another plan –</p>
<p>“What do think about starting a betting pool gentleman?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~*~</p>
<p>Snapping out of her musings, Byleth finally responded to the man in front of her.</p>
<p>“No Dimitri, you’ve always been effusive in your praise for someone who can’t taste the drinks they rave about.”</p>
<p>The look of shock and horror on his face was almost amusing, except neither were expressions she particularly enjoyed seeing him make. She much preferred the small hidden smiles that seemed to occur only in her presence, or after she saw him glancing at her across the lecture hall and thought he hadn’t been caught.  </p>
<p>“I – I apologize, it was never my intention to be dishonest. The aromas alone have been genuinely enjoyable as well as – well, I apologize. I can see I have offended you. I hope you can forgive me.”</p>
<p>Her gaze softened, and a smile crept onto her face.</p>
<p>“Not at all. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed your visits. In fact, if you’d like, perhaps Friday we could grab a beverage together. Grades will be submitted, and it might be nice to enjoy a drink I didn’t make myself.”</p>
<p>She finished scrawling her number in sharpie onto his cup of Chamomile tea and set it on the counter with a smile.</p>
<p>“Just – wait until Friday to use that. No sense in risking things when it’s only two more days.”</p>
<p>Confusion gave way to surprise and then joy, as he rotated the cup in his hand.</p>
<p>“I – Of course Byleth. I assure you I will message you first thing on Friday. It would be an honor to escort you to get coffee or tea or any beverage you desire. Do you prefer any specific locations? It may be a bit pretentious, but Lorenz has mentioned a café that has the most exquisite blends of tea. Or perhaps something less formal? Ashe has a favorite coffeeshop that doubles as a lending library - what am I saying, you work in a café inside a library, pardon me for asking such a silly question. I’m sure you’d rather something that didn’t remind you of work, perhaps –“</p>
<p>“Relax, Dimitri.” Byleth remarked with a smile. “Anywhere you pick will be wonderful. It isn’t really the beverage I’m looking forward to.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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